WCU's Master of Public Administration Earns Prestigious Accreditation

August 21 , 2014

Dr. Jeffery Osgood, chair of the Department of Public Policy and Administration and Director of the Public Administration Graduate Program.

West Chester University recently earned international accreditation for its graduate program in Public Administration from the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs and Administration (NASPAA), the global standard in public service education.

West Chester's graduate public administration program is only the fourth MPA in Pennsylvania to be awarded this prestigious accreditation.

To earn NASPAA accreditation, a program must undergo a meticulous internal assessment and rigorous peer review process to meet the organization’s requirements and mission. In addition to emphasizing outcomes assessment, NASPAA-accredited programs distinguish themselves through their emphasis on public service values, including accountability, transparency and acting ethically.

Jeffery Osgood, chair of the University's Department of Public Policy and Administration as well as director of the graduate program in Public Administration, oversaw the five-year process. He notes that "…this external validation of the quality of West Chester’s MPA program, its students and faculty places the University in an elite group of institutions that have committed themselves to the ideal of public service."

In addition to enhancing their general management and administrative skills, professionals enrolled in West Chester’s Master of Public Administration program can opt to develop specific expertise in either human resource management or nonprofit administration. Those in the general MPA degree program can also acquire a graduate certificate in such fields as urban and regional planning.